Honolulu firefighters had a busy Thursday night on Oʻahu, racing to two separate residential fires in Waipahu and Mililani that left at least one home badly charred but, fortunately, no one hurt. Both blazes were knocked down and declared extinguished before midnight. The Mililani apartment fire was traced to a lithium-ion battery in an electric bike and triggered a hazardous materials response as investigators now work to pin down causes and tally damage at both scenes.
Waipahu: Detached structure damaged
In Waipahu, a 911 call came in at 8:53 p.m. for a building fire on Awanei Street, as reported by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The paper says the Honolulu Fire Department dispatched 11 units with 39 personnel, and the first unit arrived roughly five minutes after the call. Crews brought the fire under control at about 9:23 p.m. and declared it fully extinguished at 10:50 p.m. Searches found no occupants inside the detached structure, and a fire investigator has been assigned to assess origin and damage.
Mililani: E-bike battery sparks second-alarm blaze
A separate 911 call arrived at 10:57 p.m. reporting a building fire on Waikalani Drive in Mililani that a caller said involved a lithium-ion battery-powered electric bike, according to Hawaii News Now. The Honolulu Fire Department upgraded the incident to a second alarm and sent 12 units and 44 personnel, including a specialized hazmat unit; crews reported the first engines on scene at 11:06 p.m. and had water on the fire by 11:12 p.m. Firefighters brought the blaze under control at 11:31 p.m., declared it fully extinguished at 11:41 p.m., and searches confirmed no occupants were inside; the American Red Cross assisted two displaced residents and two dogs.
Battery fires are a growing hazard
Lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and other rechargeable devices can overheat, catch fire and sometimes reignite after appearing to be out, a risk that has produced serious and sometimes deadly blazes elsewhere. A Los Angeles Times report in April detailed a San José apartment fire investigators tied to a rechargeable e-bike battery that killed one resident, underscoring why officials warn against leaving such batteries charging unattended or overnight.
What officials are saying
Officials reminded residents that working smoke alarms save lives and cautioned e-bike owners not to leave lithium-ion devices charging after they are fully charged, per the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The Honolulu Fire Department said investigators have been assigned to both scenes to determine origin, cause and final damage assessments.
